Shoulder protector



Nov. 8, 1932. G. s. WARNER d SHOULDER PROTECTOR I Filed April 8. 1932 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 T D T PATENT oLENn s. WARNE or rALo AL'ro; cAnIronNIA snonLnEn rnorrzcron 7 Application filedApril 8 This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in shoulder protectors. The primary object of theinvention is to provide a shoulder protector to be worn during'the playing of games, such as football and the like for the protection of the shoulders of the wearer and" particularly the high points of the shoulders, the same being. of a construction to permit free body and arm movements. I 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoulder protector comprising abody harness or pad to be securedto the shouldered portion of the body with shoulder pads having'front and rear portions pivotall mounted on the front and rear sides of the. ody pad with the upper ends of the. shoulder pads.

normally slightly spaced from the high points of the shoulders of the wearer so that in the presence of sudden impact, shocks absorbed by the shoulder pads are transmitted to the body pad for the relief of undue pressure on the high-points of the shoulders of the wearer. 1

With theabove and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention'is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more'fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the protection in front elevation on the shoulders of a person with one arm raised to illus trate freedom of arm 'movement with the adjacent shoulder pad moved on its pivotal mounting;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view, similar to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the two sections of the shoulder protector placed to-'' gether at their front and rear sides; and

Figure 4 is a vertical longltudinal sectional view taken on line 4+4 of Figure 3, showing the shoulder pads normally spaced from the high points of the shoulders of the wearer.

In the accompanying drawing which shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is illustrated a shoulder protector 1932. Serial no. 604,061.

comprising two similarly constructed members adapted to be placed on the body of a person to overlie'the high points of the shoulders, each "member of the shoulder protector 4 being designated in general by the reference numeralfi and includinga body harness or pad having. a shoulder portion'fi carrying breast and back portions 7 and 8 respectively. Each body pad section comprising the parts 6 to 8 may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably of a laminated character embodying outer layers of stifi non-buckling material with inner linings 9 of a softpadded- Y character to render the fwearingof the pro tector more comfortable. The outer lower edges of thefront and back portions 7 and 8 of the body padare connected by'non-elastic arm pit straps" 10 provided with adjusting "buckles v11 sothatlthe' shoulder protector may be adjusted to persons of different sizes. j

The two sections of the shoulderprotector are adapted to be connected together at the 1 ad acent Vertical edges portions 7 and 8 of the body 'pad'byfmeans of an elasticcor'di13 laced through openings 14 in the edges'of the body aa portion as shown in Figures 1.to3, the elastic cordcon} nection '13 between the. sections permitting chest expansion ofthe wearerfin response to breathing and other body movement? The non-elastic arm pitstrapslO limit movement or the two sections of the body pad towardv each other while the elastic cords permit limited separating movement for chest expansion and the like; r

Each section of the body pad der pad loatt'ached thereto that includes an arched shoulder portion 16 having front and rear arms or legs 17 and 18'respectively ta-, pering toward their points ofattachment to .:the front and back portions"? and 8'of the body pad, the connections consisting of'pivot pins orrivets 19 or tieorlac'ed so as ,to allow pivotal movement. Each shoulder pad isfof a laminated character embodying a layer "of stiiinormally unbendable material covered with an outer layer of'leathe'r, canvas or other suitable material and aninnerlayer 20 of a padded character for the comfortof thewear- 'er; As illustrated more clearly in 'Figure 4 ofthe front and back 5 has a sh ouli 1 the arched shoulder portions 16 of the shoulder pad 15 are normally spaced from the high points of the shoulders as indicated at P, the purpose of which will presently appear. Each shoulder pad 15 is connected to its associated body pad section at the shoulder portion 6 thereof by means of a flexible strap21 secured at its ends to said parts as indicated by the reference character 22. These straps 21 permit free pivotal movement of the shoulder pads toward the neck of the wearer as il- 1 lustrated in Figures 1 and 2 as well as freedom of movement of the arms of the wearer and The shoulder pads 15 being normally slightly spaced from the high points P of the shoulders of the wearer to receive the shocks and transmit them to the body pad section to be absorbed by said section-as well as the arm pit straps 10 that operate to hold the body pad sections against movements toward each other with the possible exception of such movements that may be occasioned by the inherent cushioning characteristics present in the body of the wearer. The pivotal mounting for theshoulder pads 15permits free arm movement so that the wearer of the shoulder protector is not in any way impeded in body movement required in the playing of games, especially football. The apparatus provides a safe protection for the high points of the shoulders of the wearer and operates to transfer shocks and impacts directed to the shoulder high points to other parts of the apparatus for absorption. V

detailed description of the From the above invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent legs of the first member for free pivotal movement of the second member toward and from v the neck, means for securing the first member on the body, and a strap connecting said members and having one end fixed to the up per face of the upper portion of the first member adjacent; .its inner edge and having its other end fixed to the upper face of theupper its inner and outer edges.

2. A shoulder protector'including an inverted U -shaped body member adapted to fit over the shoulder. between the shoulder joint and neck and havingits legs extending down- Wardlyin front of'an'd behind the body, said member. having its upper portion curved transversely to present a convexsurfa'ce fitting the hollow of theshoulderbetween the shoulder joint and neck whereby to assist in holding the memberin fixed position on the body, a second inverted U-shaped-member of stiff material normally overlying-theshoulder joints and having its legs-overlapping the legs of'the first member, pivots conn'ectingth'e lower ends of the legs of the second member to'the'legs of the first member for free pivotal movementof the second member toward and from-the neck, meansfor securing the first member onthe body, and astrap connectingsaidmembers and having one end fixed to the upper face ofthe upper portion of the first member adjacent its inner edge and having its otherend fixed to theupper face of the upper portion of the seconds-member in termediate its inner and outer edges.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. a I w GLENN S. WARNER.

and while there is hereinshown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim 1. A shoulder protector including an inverted U-shaped body member adapted to fit over the shoulder between the shoulder joint and neck and having its legs extending down- Wardly in front of and behind the body, a

' second inverted .U-shaped member of stiff material normally overlying the shoulder oint and having its legs overlapping the legs of the first member, pivots connecting the lower ends of the legs of the second member to the I portion of the second member intermediate 

